Pokemon Go getting the port it so desperately needs: to Dreamcast VMU

Related Articles

Enter the Upside Down world of Stranger Things with the new SFX

July 13, 2022

Fable reboot appoints a new narrative lead

July 10, 2022

Overwatch 2 beta update will address Mercys controversial changes

July 9, 2022

Pokemon Go (opens in new tab), a game for iOS and Android smartphones about wandering around and catching Pokemon, is in the process of being ported to the Dreamcast VMU, a device the size of a single Doritos chip and not much more powerful than one. And who is responsible for this? Someone going by the online handle “guacasaurus_mex (opens in new tab),” according to Ars Technica (opens in new tab). I couldn’t make this up if I tried.

Obviously the VMU lacks both the graphical punch and processing power of today’s smartphones, so the game will be streamlined for the 48×32 resolution portable memory card. A randomly-generated map will be used instead of GPS coordinates, and a timing-based mini-game will be used to capture Pokemon instead of swipes.

Lest you think that Mr. Mex is an over-ambitious dreamer who could never actually create such a game, here’s his adaptation of Flappy Bird, running off a stock VMU:

Flappy Bird for the Sega Dreamcast VMU! Video 2 of 2. Will be posting a download link here in the next day or so, just trying to reduce the file size a bit (56 blocks currently). #sega #dreamcast #vmu #visualmemoryunit #portablegaming #indiedev #pixelart #retrocollective #retrocollection #flappybird #flappybirdvmu (opens in new tab)

A photo posted by @guacasaurus_mex on Mar 25, 2016 at 8:54pm PDT

Mex has also created a racing game and proof of concept for a turn-based fighting game based on Star Wars: The Force Awakens (opens in new tab). Holy crap! I started writing this article thinking it would be one cute little side project, but the VMU homebrew scene is freakin’ awesome. Godspeed, Mex – we’ll be waiting for your Pokemon Go VMU port and any other wild ideas you dream up.

Seen something newsworthy? Tell us (opens in new tab)!